NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith addressed about 150 rookie players for about 45 minutes Wednesday in Sarasota, Fla., and told the media later they are working hard toward getting a deal done.

Smith, standing with Goodell after addressing the rookies, told the media, "Obviously, what we are doing on the business of football on a macro scale is about getting a fair deal done and back to the game and business of football as quickly as possible."

Goodell, who came to the NFLPA event at Smith's invitation, said, "It was a great opportunity for us to sit with the rookies. They obviously have lots of questions to be answered. We answered their questions as best we could, but you all know we are under certain restrictions. We are taking a break (from settlement talks) because we felt it was important to be with the players. We both have great respect, obviously, for the players and this is an important few days and we are going back to work."

The NFL holds a rookie symposium annually but cancelled it this year because of the lockout. For the first time, the NFLPA hosted an alternate event, "The Business of Football: Rookie Edition," at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. and the Ritz Carlton hotel in nearby Sarasota.

Goodell and Smith were scheduled to fly back to Minnesota Wednesday to continue settlement talks aimed at ending the NFL lockout.

— Liz Mullen is a staff writer for SportsBusiness Journal, a sister publication to Sporting News.